Here are 5 formatting mistakes that every author needs to look out for!
Below we have the Top 5 Formatting Mistakes That Every Author Needs to Watch Out For!
It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned author, or just and indie author. When You’re setting out to self-publish your first book, formatting is essential. Here are the top five formatting mistakes to watch out for!
There are hundreds of companies offering services for self-published authors, but are they all equal? Heck no! Don’t get me wrong, most are amazing at what they do. But, there are always some people that will try to take advantage of first-time authors. Especially when it comes to formatting, with authors ending up with horrible interiors, getting bad reviews, or losing valuable readers forever.
There is a broad range of prices as well. If it’s too cheap or sounds too good to be true, then we think that’s not only a warning sign, but it probably is too good to be true. Formatting isn’t just a word file. It’s so much more than that. Your formatting could be what turns a 3 or 4-star review, into a glowing 5-star review.
So, to help authors out, we are going to give you five formatting mistakes to watch out for!
Formatting Errors that Every Self-Published Author Should Look Out for!
- Your First Page of Your Interior Is Your Cover – If you see your cover as the first page, then you need to question that. A title page should be your only first page. The cover has its own file, and they are not combined for any print on demand or printer.
- Headers and Footers – Your headers or footers should not start on page one EVER! We can’t stress this rule enough. There is nowhere in the formatting world for this. It goes against every rule we know.
- Orphans and Widows – There is always a great debate amongst our industry on this. But right now, these are still hard rules which we need to follow. Short and sweet, Orphans are a single word at the end of paragraph and Widows are single words starting off the page. For more information, check this out.
- Page Numbering – There are rules to when page one is meant to start, and it’s not the title page, copyright, dedication, etc. These pages, plus other similar pages, are considered your Front Matter. So, another warning sign.
- Your Book Margins – Okay, so this one really is considered an author’s preference, but most traditionally published books will be aligned bottom margins.
In the end, how you want to release your book into the world is entirely your choice. But, always remember that bad formatting could end up with bad reviews which will follow your book around. Good formatting helps to make your book easier to read and more professional. Authors pay higher amounts for good formatting for a reason.
Top 5 Formatting Mistakes That Every Author Needs to Watch Out For – Conclusion
Is it worth it the risk? In our opinion, as self-published authors, as well as professional formatters, it isn’t worth the risk. Every cent you put into your book is an investment in the book’s success. Formatting, proofreading, editing, cover designs, beta reading, marketing, and publishing are all small but valuable investments in your book earning you royalties and readers. Don’t hesitate to Contact Us to speak about your next project, or to have us look at your current book’s formatting.
At Indie Publishing Group, we’re proud to assist Canadian and North American authors in self-publishing their work. If you are in the process of writing a book and need any assistance with paperback or ebook formatting, cover design, professional editing, or uploading to self-publishing sites such as Amazon KDP and Ingram Spark, please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us.
Our experienced and professional self-publishing team is standing by to assist you with your self-publishing dreams.
